Why You Should Check a Used Car’s VIN Number Before Purchasing

Much like people have fingerprints that identify them as individuals, vehicles each have their own specific vehicle identification number, commonly referred to as the “VIN” number. This code is made up of 17 characters including digits and capital letters.

Where can you usually find a vehicle’s VIN number? There are several places, such as on the vehicle title, its registration card, the owner’s manual, or via insurance documents. VIN numbers are also found on body shop repair records, in police reports, on the vehicle’s themselves, and/or through a vehicle history report/VIN check service.

Why should you do a “VIN check” before you buy a vehicle? Doing so will help you determine whether or not you truly want to acquire the vehicle, because the report will tell you all about its history. For instance, a VIN check will let you know if the vehicle has been involved in any accidents and/or had any major repairs.

Running a VIN check allows you to find out pertinent information, such as how many owners the vehicle has had, what the odometer readings were when the vehicle changed hands, and if there were or are any liens on the vehicle. One of the reasons you’d want to know about liens is because if there is one on the one you want to buy, that vehicle could end up being repossessed if the loan isn’t paid up in full! Regarding the aforementioned odometer readings, sometimes sellers try to “rollback” the mileage to make it look like a vehicle hasn’t been as used as it has– so the VIN check tells the truth about the mileage.

Furthermore, it’s wise to do a VIN check to see if the vehicle has had any flood damage, if it’s title is now marked “salvage,” and/or if it’s a “lemon,” repurchased by its manufacturer.

All American Salvage of Rahway, New Jersey, has been in business since 1983, and typically dismantles over 1,000 late model cars and trucks annually. Many people come to the salvage yard to find and buy parts they need to fix their vehicles.

To get a VIN check, please visit All American Salvage’s handy link: Vin Decoder